Masks, distance ... action!
Movie theaters start to reopen with raft of new safety measures
California is allowing indoor movie houses in several counties to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic — but only if they follow a voluminous set of guidelines (that seem nearly as complicated as the plot twists in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”).
In order for Bay Area movie theaters to light up their marquees again and allow movie lovers back in for some summer blockbuster fun, theater owners will have to limit capacity, keep guests physically distanced, require patrons to wear face coverings, and more, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Napa, Solano, Sonoma and San Mateo counties were permitted to let indoor theaters switch on their projectors as they enter Stage 3 of the state’s reopening plan on June 12. Contra Costa is expected to follow suit on July 15, just in time for the premiere of Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet.” Other Bay Area cities and counties are moving at a more cautious pace as the region experiences a surge of new cases.
If you’re ready to grab a box of contactless popcorn and settle in the dark of the matinee, here’s what you need to know before you go.
We’re not in Kansas anymore: The pandemic moviegoing experience is going to be a far cry from the carefree night out it was in February.
“There’s a formula in which the combination of being indoors, at a close distance with other people, and laughing and eating that leads to a really concerning environment — movie theaters check all the boxes,” Eric FeiglDing, a senior fellow with the Federation of American Scientists and epidemiologist at Harvard University, told The Chronicle.
California’s detailed guidelines require theater owners to implement a series of new safety measures, including limiting the number of attendees in each theater to 25% of capacity (or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower), utilizing a reservation system with designated arrival times, and reconfiguring or removing seats from use to ensure physical distancing between patrons.
And long gone are the days when a glowing smartphone screen a few rows ahead was the biggest moviegoing nuisance. Guests are now required to wear face coverings when not eating or imbibing, sit on disposable seat covers, and purchase bottled water since public drinking fountains will be turned off. You’ll also have to wait in line to use the restroom, as theaters will have to restrict the number of people allowed to use them at one time — so you may want to reconsider ordering that 32ounce soda before sitting down.
Even the concession stands will be different.
“We’ve taken away all the shared condiments,” said Cathy Buck, owner of St. Helena’s Cameo Cinema, the oldest independent theater in Napa Valley. “We’re using ziplock baggies for popcorn, with no refills.”
The new rules for movie theaters follow similar guidelines issued for hotels, gyms, bars, campgrounds, museums and other public spaces where larger crowds gather.
With all those rules in place, many theaters are choosing not to reopen just yet, including those run by major chains such as AMC Entertainment, Cinemark Theaters and Arclight Cinemas.
“If I don’t feel like we can open and be safe for my patrons and myself, I will keep my doors closed until we can give everybody a level of comfort,” said Buck, who is currently eyeing July to reopen the Cameo. “We’re just taking it one day at a time.”
When theaters do decide to move forward, cinephiles like Bert Towle of Petaluma will be ready.
“I’ve been to restaurants, hotels and stores following guidelines, and expect the same from theaters,” said Towle, who maintains the unofficial listings website NorthBayMovies.com. “My biggest concern will be disrespectful patrons who could make it bad for others, which is a problem for any public setting.”
May the Force be with you: Even with the regulations above, you will have to weigh the risk versus reward of going to a movie theater. Health experts have long warned that the riskiest situations for contracting the coronavirus involve close, lengthy contact with others.
There are ways to make public outings safer, and by now most people should be familiar with the advice: Wear face coverings, keep at least 6 feet apart from others and wash your hands frequently. Yet sitting through a twohour showing of Russell Crowe’s “Unhinged” may still prove perilous.
Dr. Mark R. Cullen, director of the Center for Population Health Sciences at Stanford University, said going to the theater still ranks as a medium to highrisk activity.
“I miss the movies incredibly,” he said. “I would love to go, but I probably won’t.”
The biggest risk factor for him? Other patrons.
“You worry most about the people you have contact with,” Cullen said. “If anyone in the theater is positive, you’re going to end up with some risk over two hours, even if they are sitting far from you.”
FeiglDing was one of the prominent voices, via a viral tweet, that pushed AMC Theaters to change its position on maskwearing less than a day after the company became a target on social media for saying it would defer to local governments. CEO Adam Aron said on Friday, June 19, that its theaters will require patrons to wear masks upon reopening, which will begin in midJuly. Customers who don’t wear masks won’t be admitted or allowed to stay.
There are other holdouts, however. Cinemark, the first major chain to reopen its screens in the United States starting on June 19, said it would not require its guests to wear masks.
If it’s a risk worth taking for you, the experts suggest bringing your own hand sanitizer to wipe down your seat and armrest and keeping your mask on.
“The 6feet rule is not an insurance policy,” said FeiglDing. “It’s a little bit of harm reduction. These aerosols can travel way beyond 6 feet, especially with so many people in the room for such a long time.”
Get over that and the experience itself may feel a little deficient.
“I like full theaters and enthusiastic audiences,” said Towle. “The emptiness will be a drag. I also suspect many people will be disappointed when theaters are sold out before they arrive.”
Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy night: There are alternatives to traditional indoor cinemas. Coming back from near extinction, drivein theaters have experienced a boom since being allowed to reopen in May.
West Wind theaters in San Jose, Sacramento and Concord, in particular, have seen larger audiences, inspiring other movie buffs around Northern California to adopt the concept that had its initial heyday in the 1950s and ’60s.
Buck said Cameo Cinema is launching a drivein summer series on Thursday, June 25, showing familyfriendly flicks like “Jurassic Park,” “Wonder Woman” and “Moonrise Kingdom” with a side of food available for purchase from Gott’s Roadside Diner. Lakeport Auto Movies in Lake County is also screening nightly double features, featuring nostalgic titles like “Jaws,” “Back to the Future” and “E.T. the ExtraTerrestrial.”
Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa also plans to join in with its regular Carpool Cinemas showings.
But even in an outdoor space, COVID19 rules apply. Patrons who are sick or exhibiting symptoms of the illness are asked to stay home, cars are required to park 10 feet apart, and moviegoers must stay inside their cars unless going to the restroom. Masks are compulsory.
I am big! It’s the pictures that got small: While the novelty of the drivein experience may get moviegoers through the summer, the longterm survival of theater operators throughout the Bay Area staying open at limited capacity raises more complicated questions. Many were already struggling to survive before the pandemic hit.
Every day without a vaccine or treatment feels like a day closer to the end of the communal moviewatching experience.
“I’m old enough to remember when towns had just one or two screens and they did OK,” Towle said. “I worry about small towns with little historic theaters being able to keep them open much more than most suburban theaters, where there’s always another one not too far away.”